Drop mechanism for article sorting apparatus



3, 1950 V J. G. MACKECHNIE, JR 2,518,037

DROP MECHANISM FOR ARTICLE SORTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1948 INVENTOR Jhnzs 6.17.4 c/rzc/ mzJm aa/MAJ W ATTORN EYS Aug- 8, 1950 J. G. MACKECHNIE, JR 2,518,037

DROP MECHANISM FOR ARTICLE SORTING APPARATUS Filed April 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2 INVENTOR James G. flnciczcmm-Ji.

who 9 W ATTORNEYS ratus:.

Patented Aug. 8, 1950 UNITED smrizs; PAT EN'F" times DROR MECHANISMFOR ARTILCLEZSDRTING:

' APPARATUS Jam es G. Mackechnie, 51%., Springfield; Mass. ApplicatiomApri'l 52., 1948;.Ser;ial1=N0.. 18,513;

This invention relates. toaselectively controlled. sorting; apparatus and has. for. a particular. ob...- jectan improved structure for. droppin articles. into: receiving bins or, at collecting; stations. be: neath the article" conveying means of fthe. appa The general. type. of. article sorting. machine to which my invention is directed. shown. by my Patent No. 2,490,071, for Laundry Sorting. Apparatus?" The machine, as shown. therein, embodies a. tilting. mechanism on the. conveying. means for depositing an. article. at apreselected. collectinestationh 1 While machines. ofthistypearesatisfactory tor. the purpose. of. sorting. a variety oil items aspeci'al problem arises. in. the handling; of. laundered. andr ironed articles which. decreases the practicabil'ity of the machine. for all usages. I'nthe. case. of. laundered. articles which. are. pressed or ironed. ready for packaging; to the.customer,.the. collapsible nature of i such, items. requires. careful handlingto. avoid. wrinkling. or launching, It. has. been foundlthat many ironediartibleswill, become. more or less: crumpled, and, wri'nliled; when. de:- positedlby sliding from. atiljtedisurjace. and per mittedto fall, edgewi'se' for any distance into. a bin, or on.a.fl'a.t. surface... The. articleslides and; drops at an angle. It mayin some. ihstjances,be.- come completely spoiledlin, appearance...

It, is. an. object of this, invention to. overcome the. difficulty inhandling, collapsible articles. suchas pieoesofi finished, laundry. in a sorting machine of this, type... To this end. mechanism. is: provided in the machine to receive eacharticle. fromv the tilting depositing means to,hold.it. position. for a, straight vertical; drop into. a... receiving, bin. and. thank to drop. thesame. fiatwise so. that. as. the articles are. received they willl'be dronpedLto' form a neat" stacked pile for easy, handlihauand packaging.

How my invention. accomplishes-the.-desired, result. willbe readily appreciated from. a, consid erat'ihn ofj thefollowing, disclosure... in connection withlthe accompanying. drawings, in which; y

' E'ig. 1. is. a. perspective. view of; a; section. of an. article sorting machine embodying, thenew. structuresupporting structure-and; various. partsbering ,cut1away p v Fig.2, is.a. plamview. witliportions cutaway. of anharticledropping ,pan;

Eig,.3j i's anendiview. oitlie tai'ni'ng positlom. i

Eig ...4;isv a View similar toiFfig..3iwi th ,the panii'n, releasinapositiont, and H v Fig. 5.lis.a diagram of. the electricalgcineuitsgand.

samein article rea V pneumatic mechanism controlled thereby ion automaticvv operation; of the depositing mecha nism;

The:conveyingmeans of; thesorting:ap aratus,

a. section of Whichis? partially illustrated: by. Fig.

15, comprises'a series of. carriers L, on anendless.

track. each having atray 2 in. an opening 3 of the.

carrier. Eachztray is pivotedcentrally attopposi te successive order for travel in a. predetermined.

path over: a row ofgcollectinggbins- 9. The. rollers are fixed to: the facing; edges of the tableand. shelf those of: the table (not. shown). extending only, under. the: adjacent edge. of the carrier...

Similar rollers (not shown), on the shelfv support thecarrier edge adjacent. thereto. In. addition.

the-shelf ads-provided with retractable rollers. In

tray.- 21 to. prevent the latter. from accidental, tip.- ping inits advance along; the path of travel.

Forward motion of the carriers is intermittent andz supplied by any suitable means which will push the lineiof. carriers in: a step bystep. advance; Reienenoe-is; made, toxmy aforesaidanplicationforrai complete disclosure at 1311650011? article placed thereon at a preselected bim station comprises a pneumatically; operated tipping plunger" H to raise-theiorward edge 01: a: tray-Z and* a retracting plunger I 2 withdraw: the; w

tray.

As will-benoted'by-consideratiorr of Fig: 1-, an articleprejviqusly" placed" on' a tilted tray'2*will' slide into' a drop pan M mounted between two strap, supports. l3andj. l'5. Each bin is. provided.

witha drop, pan I4; mounted? directly above it; Said pan f4 comprises two side portiOnsJt", and 1H mountedon the. outer edgesthereof" on pi'ntles l8 and; I9: respectively. The pintl'es are j'ournaled inibracket's 2,0 onsupports l3;an.d.l15; Theout'en ends-oipintles [Band L5,extend'beyondstrap. 13'. andlareiinitheiomn. of cranliarmsswith' handles which normally extend.- underneath. the edge a of a,

tractablero'llers Hif-rom under the tray. saidmeans are'actuated; the tray 2- is centrallypi'voted as atfpogint's l to slide an: articleofi the- 2! for connection with a cranking device for pivoting action of said side portions.

As shown by Figs. 3 and 4 a cylinder 22 with a spring pressed piston 23 and rod 24 is mounted on support l3. The piston is normally urged to the left causing a corresponding movement of two throw arms 25 connected to said rod 21; at each end thereof. Said throw arms 25 are pivotally connected to the crank handle ends 2i of the pintles i8 and I 9. As noted in Fig. 3 the piston 23 is represented as being under pressure and compressing the spring, thereby establishing an article retaining position of the drop pan Hi. In Fig. 4 release of the pressure has caused the spring to move the piston and swing the side portions I6 and I! to article releasing position.

The selective control apparatus for operation of the machine includes a series of presettablc push button switch boxes 29, mounted on table l. Each box 26 is associated with a particular bin to preset the tilting mechanism at the bin for operation of trays on preselected carriers. On each carrier l is mounted a presettable push but ton switch box 21 similar to switch box 26. As will become apparent, each box 25 and 21 controls a group of corresponding partial electric circuits. In the operation of the machine an operator presets a switch box 26 for the collection of a particular customers laundry in one of the bins. Then as an item belonging to that customer is placed on a tray by the operator, the switch box 27 of the carrier is preset to correspond with the setting on the bin box 26 for the tilting of the tray at the appropriate bin.

Each partial circuit of the group in a switch box 26 and associated with a particular bin may be set up by operation of push button keys 23 as will be readily understood. Similarly, each switch box 27 controls a group of partial electric circuits associated with a particular carrier and any of these latter circuits may be preset by the keys to correspond with any given preset bin circuit.

Completion of the partial circuits preset by the keys of a bin switch box 26 is made through the arrival of a preselected carrier at a bin station with said carrier switch box 21 having correspending partial circuits preset by its keys. The partial circuits thus joined will cause an article on a tray to be deposited at that bin station. Positional switch means for the purpose of establishing the desired circuits include distributor contacts 29 mounted on the forward inner edge of a carrier I and distributor contacts 39 mounted on shelf 8 in the path of the moving carriermounted contacts 29.

In Fig. 5 a wiring diagram is shown of the elecsponding thereto and associated with the bin:

mechanism are at the right. Assuming a row of ten keys the top row thereof may be assigned numbers from zero to ten and represent a unit value. The bottom row, similarly assigned num bers, may represent a decimal value. Thus various circuits numbered from to 99 can be preset by the keys.

As illustrated in the diagram of Fig. appropriate keys have been depressed to set up partial circuits representing the number I 29 on. each switch box and the contacts 29 and 39 are shown as joined by the arrival of the carrier at the'bin station. A circuit is thus established from a source 3|, through connecting wires 32 and 33, contacts and 29, wires 34 and 35, switch of decimal number 2 of the carrier switch box 21, wire 36, contacts 29 and 39, wire 3?, switch of decimal number 2 of bin switch box 26, wire 38, solenoid 39, wires 49 and 4! back to source 3i through line switch 39.v This circuitwill energize the solenoid 39.

The second circuit with key number 9 is also completed through wires 32, 33, contacts 39 and 29, wires t2, 43, switch of unit number 9 of bin switch box 27, wire 44, contacts 29 and 39, wire 55, switch of unit number 9 of carrier switch box 23, wire 46, solenoid 41, wires 48 and ll back to source 3| through line switch 49. This circuit will energize solenoid 47.

It will be readily appreciated that unless corresponding switches in the two boxes 26 and 21 are closed by the keys either one Or the other or both. of the solenoids 39 and 4'! will remain deenergized. If both solenoids are energized, as will occur as shown by Fig. 5 upon the closing of line switch 49, the switches associated with the energize solenoid valve 52 controlling a source. 40

shown outlet 51 suppliesair to a spring pressed,

solenoids will be closed to energize operative. mechanism to be described. In the event a third operative structurewill notthen be energized.

Upon closing the switches of solenoids 39 and 97, a circuit is established through wires 3!, 48, 5t and 5|, solenoid valve 52, wire 53, breaker switch 54, and wires 55 and 32. This circuit will of air under pressure in a pneumatic supply line 56. against spring pressure to permit air pressure in outlet line 51, blocking ofi exhaust port 58. As

valve 59 thereby extending plunger II to tip the tray 2. Simultaneously, air is admitted to a valve 69 which simultaneously retracts the rollers i9 through a plunger l2 and permits the pivoted tilting of tray 2 by plunger .1 I.

As an article on the tray is tilted it slides into the drop pan l4 previously described. The drop 1 pan is normally in article retaining position, as shown by Fig. 5, and is so held by a normally energized solenoid .valve 6| which admits air under; pressure from an inlet line 62 to an outlet 63. leading to cylinder 22. The solenoid valve 5! is connected in thecircuit to wire 4| by a connector 64, and to wire 32 by a wire 65, breaker switch 66,

and connector 61.

In order to deenergize solenoid valve 6! and permit release of air from cylinder 22 throughan exhaust port 68 of valve BI, and thereby pivot the sides of the drop pan to open position, a I

breaker switch mechanism is provided. Said mechanism includes an arm'69 having a lost motion connection with a stem 70 of a pneumatically A solenoid valve 12 controls operation ofdiaphragm H, by admitting air under pressure into apressure line through a valve inlet 16. The pressure is re- Solenoid operated spring held diaphragm 1|.

lieved through an exhaust port 11. valve 12 is energized simultaneously with solenoid 52 associated with the tilting apparatus. The circuit is through wire 59, connector l3,' 75 I solenoid 12, connector 14, and circuit wire32.

When energized the valve will be opened' In operation a carrier I arrives at a bin station into which an article on the tray is to be deposited. The contacts 29 and 30 energize the appropriate preset circuits to' solenoid valves 52 and 12. Valve 52 causes the tray to be tilted and the article slides into the drop pan. Retraction of the plunger II and removal thereof from the path of the tilted tray is desired as the carrier and tray will soon again be moved forward. Valve 12 thus causes the timed operation of the breaker switch 54, through the delay and lost motion of the diaphragm device. Switch 54 when opened deenergizes solenoid 52 and the plunger I I is retracted. Valve I2 also by timed operation of breaker switch 66 deenergizes solenoid GI and permits operation of the drop pan by pivoting the sides thereof. An article thus drops vertically into the bin. As the carrier, moves forward, the circuit to solenoid I2 is interrupted by separation of contacts 29 and 30 and the parts return to normal position.

It will be seen from a consideration of the structure as disclosed herein that fiat laundered items tilted from the conveyor mechanism will slide rearwardly into the drop pan which is slightly offset from the carrier stopping station as shown by Fig. l. The pan having a concave shallow trough-like cross section will cradle a collapsible article in a more or less horizontal flatwise position. When the side portions are pivoted from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4 the article will be dropped vertically to rest flatwise in the bottom of a bin. As the articles are dropped into a bin by the successive operation of selected carriers they will be stacked one on top of another to form a pile which can be easily handled for packaging.

The straight vertical dropping of an article into a bin eliminates the crumpling and wrinkling of collapsible articles such as articles of laundry. An additional advantage is gained from the basin-like sloping surface of the pan, as shown. An article which'was placed initially on the tray 2 by the operator may have been placed angularly with respect thereto. As it slides from the tilted tray it will fall into the drop pan from its angular position. The drop pan having sloping side portions tends to straighten the article by causing it to slide toward an even position in the bottom of the pan. The pivoting of the sloping sides with a widening central opening in the bottom of the pan further tends to guide and turn the edges of the article in its drop to a position parallel to the straight inner edges of the pan the bin is more or less guided to straighten it uniformly for piling in neat stacked form.

In this connection it is to be noted the sorting of articles by the machine will in normal practice begin with the larger items being handled first and finish with the smaller items. Each bin will then contain a pile of items in the general form of a pyramid. Before packaging, the items in the pile will be manually straightened and shifted to form a compact symmetrical pile for wrap- 0 Number ping. Consequently, it will be obvious the guided movement of the article in being deposited in the collecting bin will result in less manual handling of a pile for wrapping.

Having disclosed my invention, I claim:

In a laundry sorting apparatus having an article carrying tray and means to operate the same for releasing a laundered article therefrom in an angular direction to deposit said article in a preselected receiving bin, mechanism at said receiving bin to intercept said angularly directed article and release it to drop flatwise in the bin, said mechanism comprising in combination a shallow basin having a concave trough-like surface and supports for mounting the basin directly above said receiving station and immediately below the path of a carrying tray, said basin having two complementary side portions with their inner edges, in receiving position of the basin, meeting in edge to edge relation, the outer opposite sides of said portions having a pivotal connection with said supports, means for actuating said pivotal connections to simultaneously part the inner edges of said side portions and swing said portions to hang vertically from said supports for a releasing position, said actuating means being operable in timed sequence with said carrier tray releasing means. JAMES G. MACKECHNIE. JR.

REFERENCES CITED gThe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Edison Apr. 12, 1898 Schmidt et a1 May 12, 1936 pavis Feb. 15, 194% 

